In grass fields and other lawn areas, which experience sustained vehicular and pedestrian traffic, the turf surface and underlying soil can become undesirably compacted. The problems associated with soil compaction are that rain and fertilizing chemicals are prevented from fully penetrating the ground. The short-term effect of such a condition is that the field will remain soggy for longer periods after a rain, and the long-term effect is the prevention of deep and healthy root system and proper grass growth. Turf aeration is the process of creating channels in the soil so that water, air, and fertilizers can penetrate the ground and be dispersed effectively throughout the soil.
A number of devices have been invented to aerate turf, however most of them use an arc motion to drive the tines into the soil. The arc motion tends to disrupt the top of the turf, by increasing the size of the opening greater than necessary, which is particularly problematic on golf courses. The arc motion also tends to cause the tine to not penetrate to its full depth and cause inconsistent depth of penetration, as the energy to drive the tine is spread out over a greater surface. Another problem with earlier turf aerators is they tend to require substantial maintenance.
Thus there exists a need for a turf aerator that provides consistent soil penetration depth, does not disrupt the turf surface unnecessarily, and does not require constant maintenance